Special report by Martin Popoff

BW&BK; got the scoop recently on guitar legend ACE FREHLEY’s new tour and forthcoming CD. Ace’s Rocket Ride Tour 2008 is in full gear with dates confirmed throughout North America and the UK. Part I of the BW&BK; chat can be read at this location. Here's Part II:

Any covers on this new album?

“You know, we are toying around with a couple of covers, but we haven’t made a decision whether or not they are going to make the record. One is a STONES cover, and we were fooling around with a BOWIE cover.”

Of note, Ace also mentions two songs that he had submitted for possible use on Kiss’ Psycho Circus album, one called ‘The Pursuit Of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ and one called ‘Steamroller’ which he says is the heaviest track on the album.

Says Ace of the challenge of singing, while carrying the responsibility of guitar legend… “After a couple of weeks of touring it just becomes matter of fact. It’s like, when I’m not in the studio, or I’m not performing, I normally don’t sing. Months will go out by without me singing. I don’t really consider myself a singer. I sing because I write songs and I have my own band (laughs). But I consider myself a songwriter/guitar player. But the singing, yeah, the singing is fun. But sometimes it just becomes... luckily, my new drummer Scot Coogan, he’s got a great voice. He’s helping me out with some of the lead vocals. And I think Anthony is singing ‘Strange Ways’.”

On the upcoming tour, are you playing any songs off the new album?

“You know, normally, in the old days - in the old days (laughs) - in the ‘70s or the ‘80s, I probably would’ve done a couple of new songs, prior to the release of the record. But you know, like today, it’s a whole different ballgame. I did a show in New York on Halloween, at the Hard Rock Cafe, and you go onto youtube, you can find almost every song (laughs). So it’s like, I want this record to be like a surprise; have it be my special thing. And I don’t want to give a couple of the songs away before the record comes out. If I play them live, it’s going to be on youtube the next day (laughs).”
“Some of those songs are good, you know?” reflects Ace, asked about the records from his mid-years, the under-rated FREHLEY’S COMET material and the Trouble Walkin’ album, released simply under the Ace Frehley banner. “Some of those songs are maybe a little too poppy. I maybe would’ve done them a little different today. Like I said, I’m trying to get back into the mindset of my roots. This album is going to be heavier than those Frehley’s Comet records. You know what I do? I read my fan mail. I listen to what the kids say and what they want to hear. They really want me to play heavier stuff, and do wild stuff. I think that is an element in music that is lacking today. There doesn’t seem to be any guitar hero bands out there. I think guitar players today are too lazy. They don’t want to practice. They talk to me; guitar players say, ‘What can you tell me about being a guitar player?’ And I say three things: ‘Practice, practice and more practice’ (laughs)."

Do you find that in your new state of mind, you’re also getting back to being more disciplined about guitar again?

“Yes. Everything is just more clear and defined and I can focus better; I can put my ideas together. I don’t have all that noise in my head - it’s great not to have that.”

Upcoming Ace live dates include:

February

20 - Baltimore, MA - Rams Head Live
22 - Atlanta, GA - Center Stage
23 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
24 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues
26 - Sauget, IL - Pop's
28 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
29 - Niagara Falls, NY - The Bear's Den

March

1 - Niagara Falls, NY - The Bear's Den
3 - Quebec, QC - Metropolis
5 - Toronto, ON - The Guvernment
8 - Milwaukee, WI - Eagles Ballroom
9 - Mt. Clemens, MI - Emerald Theater
11 - Fargo, ND - Fargo Theatre
12 - Winnipeg, MB - The Garrick Centre
14 - Calgary, AB - Flames Central
15 - Edmonton, AB - Edmonton Events Centre
17 - Missoula, MT - Wilma Theater
18 - Spokane, WA - Big Easy
19 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
21 - San Francisco, CA - Grand Ballroom (Regency Center)
24 - San Diego, CA - House Of Blues
25 - West Hollywood, CA - House Of Blues
26 - Las Vegas, NV - House Of Blues
28 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
29 - Rapid City, SD - Rushmore Civic Theater

April

3 - Atlantic City, NJ - House Of Blues
10 - Sheffield, UK - The Corporation
11 - London, UK - Astoria